Michael Callan, Original 'Riff' in WEST SIDE STORY, Dies at 86
Callan also appeared on stage in The Boy Friend (1954) and Catch a Star (1955), as well as the off-Broadway production of Bar Mitzvah Boy in 1978.
By: Stephi Wild Oct. 12, 2022
BroadwayWorld is saddened to report that Michael Callan, who starred as Riff in the original Broadway cast of West Side Story, has died at age 86.
In addition to his role in West Side Story, Callan also appeared on stage in The Boy Friend (1954) and Catch a Star (1955), as well as the off-Broadway production of Bar Mitzvah Boy in 1978.
Later in life he returned occasionally to the stage in both straight plays and musicals including Absurd Person Singular, Killjoy, Love Letters, Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah, The Music Man, and George M!.
On screen, Callan appeared in many film roles for Columbia Pictures, notably Gidget Goes Hawaiian, The Interns and Cat Ballou.
After eight years and 13 films with Columbia, Callan landed the lead role of Peter Christopher on the NBC Television sitcom Occasional Wife made by Columbia's Screen Gems. In 1968, he co-starred as 'Bill Calhoun' in the ABC-TV production of Cole Porter's Kiss Me, Kate.
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